BGMC and AGWM: The Partnership, the World

L. John Bueno, executive director, Assemblies
of God World Missions

I believe that in the Assemblies of God, we
have become so used to the wonderful blessings of ministries like BGMC that we
forget or don't even realize how unique it is. Missionary leaders in other
fellowships and denominations have been amazed and even baffled by how the
Assemblies of God has been able to involve and mobilize children in our
worldwide mission. I believe it is safe to say that in most major church
organizations, missions is merely an add-on ministry to the church rather than
its central focus. It is something to which adult members of the congregation
give a token amount sometimes as little as once a year.

In 1916, just two years after the Assemblies
of God was organized, our leaders designated the first Sunday of every month to
be Missions Sunday and that offerings be taken to support missionaries. The
method of our church, as we have communicated in our publications, is "All the
church, taking all the gospel, into all the world." Just as men are involved
through Light for the Lost, Women's Ministries are involved in many ways, and
our youth supply vehicles and equipment through Speed the Light, our boys and
girls have for many decades have filled their Buddy Barrels with coins for
missions. The blessing they have been in every region of the world is extensive
and cannot even be calculated.

God has raised up the boys and girls in the United States to play a vital role in world evangelization. Millions of dollars have
been raised over the years by the children of our Fellowship to greatly assist
missionaries in a variety of ways. These funds are given where most needed, but
mostly for ministry to children and for literature that supplies our
missionaries with children's tools as well as for other ministries. It is not
limited to that, since many adult programs have also been blessed by BGMC.

I believe that possibly the greatest value
of BGMC is not in the dollars that are given for the many ministries around the
world, but as our Lord said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart
be also." BGMC not only blesses us on the field with these much-needed funds,
but it also instills in the hearts of our children a passion for missions. Because
our children invest in missions from such an early age, the cause of missions
is planted by the Holy Spirit in their hearts. It is one of the ways God uses
to prepare many of them for missionary service.

One of the greatest things in our Fellowship
is that when children are young and still tender in their hearts, they develop
a concern for the lost of our world each time BGMC is mentioned. Only eternity
will tell how many of our missionaries were called to missions as children, as
they were encouraged to give and be a part of BGMC. And only eternity will tell
how many multitudes of souls have been reached as a result of children giving
through BGMC!